It’s been just over six weeks since President Donald Trump stepped back into the White House, and in that short time, he’s wasted no time flexing his executive power, signing dozens of executive orders already. And as you might expect, that’s triggered a wave of legal battles, with 100 lawsuits challenging his actions. Some are bigger flashpoints than others — his controversial attempt to end birthright citizenship alone has sparked at least 10 lawsuits.

With Republicans holding a slim majority in both the House and Senate, Trump has more room to advance his agenda with minimal resistance. But in an exclusive interview with Katie Couric, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pushed back against the idea that Congress won’t hold the president accountable.

“He’s kind of bypassing Congress to do all this stuff,” Katie pointed out. “It’s like he doesn’t need Congress… he’s leapfrogging over you guys—”

“Which is why he’s already been sued over a hundred times — and he’s losing in court,” Jeffries cut in. “We have to hold the line. And we’ve got some of the best legal minds in Congress — Jamie Raskin, Joe Neguse, Jasmine Crockett — all working as part of our rapid response task force and litigation group. I’ve charged them all to make sure we are prepared for any eventuality.”

Still, Jeffries acknowledges that the breakneck pace of Trump’s executive orders has created a tense — if not overwhelming — atmosphere.

“It’s been a parade of horribles that Donald Trump and the administration are unleashing on the American people, and it does require an all-hands-on-deck effort,” he said. “We have to aggressively push back in defense of the American people in the Congress, in the courts, and in communities all across the United States of America.” 

So far, he believes his party has held strong, pointing to their unified opposition to the Republican budget proposal. All 214 House Democrats voted against it, along with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie, though it still narrowly passed with a 217-215 vote.

“Every single Democrat stood together to oppose what we see as a reckless, irresponsible Republican budget — one that would trigger the largest Medicaid cuts in American history,” he said. “This isn’t a joke. It’s serious. It’s a matter of life and death. And we’re going to keep fighting — to protect Americans’ healthcare in Congress, in the courts, and beyond.”

As the House resolution moves to the Senate, Democrats are bracing for a showdown over the looming March 14 government funding deadline. Jeffries says they’re pushing for assurances to prevent Trump and his budget-slashing ally, Elon Musk, from firing more federal workers or cutting vital programs — a line the party refuses to cross.

“We’re talking with our counterparts, trying to find a solution that actually works for the American people — whether it’s their health, safety, national security, or financial security,” Jeffries told Katie.

“But honestly, I’m not sure our Republican colleagues are really acting in good faith,” he went on. “Elon Musk is already pushing to shut down vital departments and agencies, which could hurt everyday Americans. And we’re worried that Republicans — who control the House, Senate, and the White House — are trying to force a government shutdown just to make a political point, or to pressure us into agreeing to their drastic cuts to Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, and food assistance. But here’s the thing, Katie: We will never back down on these issues.”

Jeffries also highlights that, despite the challenges, Democrats have successfully pushed back against the Republican agenda before — most notably in 2017, when they blocked efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. At that time, Republicans held a much larger majority in the House, but with support from a few Republicans like the late Sen. John McCain and a united Democratic caucus, they held firm and stopped the repeal. Now, with a more favorable situation, Jeffries believes they can do it again. “If we stopped them then, with tougher odds, I believe we can stop them this time around,” he says.

For an in-depth analysis of how Democrats are challenging Trump and Republicans, watch Katie’s full interview with Jeffries in the video above.